Fort Bend County began a survey March 31 to learn how the "Stay Home to Save Lives" order, which is in effect March 25-April 3, is affecting residents.

The county published the results as of 4 p.m. April 1, with 887 respondents. However, the results were published on the county's website before 4 p.m.

County Judge KP George plans to use the results of this ongoing survey to make decisions for the county during the coronavirus, according to a press release.

According to the results, 53% of respondents said they feel the stay-home order is enough to keep the county safe. However, the questionnaire did not ask whether residents agreed with the order. Additionally, roughly 75% of the respondents said they feel the order is protecting their family.

The survey also examined the effect the order is having on households' finances and respondents’ abilities to work.

Part of the stay-home order includes defining essential and nonessential businesses to determine whether a business can remain open. Essential businesses include grocery stores; hospitals; clinics; pharmacies; mental health care offices; restaurants offering delivery, takeout and drive-thru options; and liquor stores, according to the order.


According to the survey, 55% of the respondents said they were were considered an essential employee to their business, while 56% said they are able to work from home.

Additionally, about 53% of respondents said they believe they can financially sustain their household only for one to four weeks if their workplace closed and they received no additional pay.

Read the April 1 full results here, and take the survey here.

“I trust the community to come together to help each other to stay safe and keep our economy moving,” George said in the release. “This is Texas. We always come together in a crisis to help each other. We put aside all differences. We protect and defend our beloved state and country.”